Eulogy for Ted Kennedy, who loved his dogs
By Christie Keith
August 26, 2009
Ted Kennedy died yesterday, and the press, pundits and talking heads are using all kinds of words to describe him: lion of the senate, the last brother, the great liberal.
He was all those things, and others less complimentary, to many people in this country, but I’m going to set that and all political words aside and say this: Senator Edward Kennedy loved his dogs. From a 2006 Boston Globe profile:
Follow the senior senator from Massachusetts, known for beating up tobacco lobbyists and conservative Supreme Court nominees, into his Capitol Hill office – the inner office, the one decorated with a framed, handwritten note from John F. Kennedy as a child, with pictures of Edward M. Kennedy standing alongside Martin Luther King and past presidents – and he quickly morphs into 8-year-old Teddy Kennedy. “Do you know how much I missed you? Do you KNOW how much I missed you?” Kennedy coos at Splash, his Portuguese water dog who has been awaiting his owner’s return from a Senate committee hearing. Kennedy bounces a tennis ball, sending the large, curly-haired canine running around the bustling office before settling comfortably next to the senator.
It seems the Senator loved his dogs not in a general, what-politician-who-wants-to-get-re-elected-doesn’t-love-dogs, absent-minded kind of way, but in the silly, devoted, sometimes slightly crazy way that we do.
He took his dogs to work every day. He let himself be made foolish by his dog in front of a reporter. He laughed when his dogs barked at other senators who were getting a little hot under the collar during caucus. He even let his Portuguese Water Dog, Splash, write a book about him, “Me and My Senator.” And of course, he’s the guy who made America’s First Dog a Portie, too.
Rest in peace, Senator Kennedy, dog lover.
It’s good to know that someone I admired, who fought for the “little guy”, loved his dogs so much. RIP, Senator.
Comment by perkysmom — August 26, 2009 @ 9:02 am
I just switched vets. When I saw Ted’s picture on his client wall, I felt a little more at ease.
Thank you, Senator for all you did.
Comment by Susan — August 26, 2009 @ 9:36 am
Poor Splash. My heart always goes out to dogs whose owner dies, and all they know is that one day “Dad” doesn’t come home any more.
Of course, my thoughts are with the family, too. But this is a dog blog, and so here I express my empathy for Splash’s loss.
Comment by The OTHER Pat — August 26, 2009 @ 9:57 am
The OTHER Pat, that’s interesting; I thought the same thing this morning; that I hoped his dog was there or got a chance to sniff him and say goodbye.
Comment by Kim Thornton — August 26, 2009 @ 10:17 am
Godspeed, Senator. And thank you.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — August 26, 2009 @ 10:21 am
Hang in there Splash, poor boy. If a person can love a dog that much, there is good inside their heart, whatever else may be said.
Comment by Original Lori — August 26, 2009 @ 10:39 am
The Kennedys are a part of all of us - I am so happy he had a wonderful marriage in the end - and I loved that he loved his dogs - he was one of the good guys - God bless the Senator and his family.
Comment by mary francis — August 26, 2009 @ 10:42 am
Since he died at home, and his dogs were always with him, I’m sure they got the chance to say goodbye—and that no “serious” journalist will think to mention this “unimportant” detail.
But now, I’m getting offline, and taking my dog with me to Town Hall to turn in my “becoming an official employee” papers for my new job. Having, yes, taken the time to ask if it’s okay to do so.:)
Rest in peace, Senator Kennedy. There are many positive things I could say, but here, I’ll just say, it was an added bonus that you were a great dog lover and a responsible dog owner, too.
Comment by Lis — August 26, 2009 @ 10:52 am
Lovely tribute. It’s nice to hear of a different side of a very public figure. The fact that he loved his dogs humanizes him for me. Rest Well, Senator Kennedy.
Comment by Tammy — August 26, 2009 @ 11:34 am
I wish that more Senators and Representatives would let us know that they care about animals, and let us see that they are real people, too.
Ted Kennedy and Splash, playing with a tennis ball - what a difference from Mitt Romney and his dog who was driven at freeway speed on top of Mitt’s car.
Comment by KateH — August 26, 2009 @ 1:53 pm
I was listening to an interview with Orrin Hatch this afternoon on NPR. Sen. Hatch described several humorous incidents in his long friendship with Sen. Kennedy, and I though what a perfect match he and his PWDS were! Smart, charming, hard working and blessed with a quirky sense of humor!
Senator, you are greatly missed. Thank you for all you did for your country and her people.
Comment by Anne T — August 26, 2009 @ 2:06 pm
The Senator, and his lovely wife, Vicki loved all their Portuguese Water Dogs’…. I had the pleasure of training, and becoming friends with Splash, Sunny, and Cappy, over the past 12 years. The dogs’ will miss him as we all will miss this great man that changed our lives, but rest assure that Splash, Sunny, and Cappy will continue to have a great life with their mom…who loves them as much as he did. Their lives will change, but his memory will live forever in our hearts, and he will be forever connected spiritually to the wonderful dogs’ he left behind.
Comment by Dawn Sylvia-Stasiewicz — August 26, 2009 @ 4:22 pm
Dawn, so glad to hear from you. And thanks for the update about the Kennedy family dogs.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — August 26, 2009 @ 5:33 pm
Our local Ch 4 interviewed our MI Congressman, John Dingell who told a story about Sen. Kennedy coming to MI to speak. He didn’t want to leave the dogs behind so Mr. Dingell told him arrangements would be made to fly the dogs and also that arrangements could be made for a speaking roll for the dog. I thought that was a cute, heartfelt story.
Comment by VJ — August 26, 2009 @ 5:37 pm
He was a great senator and the best president we never had.
I say the former statement as an American who appreciates all he did to help working people in this country.
I say the latter one because in this time of triangulation and sell-outism, we need to be reminded of what really is possible. This country has great potential, and Ted Kennedy saw it more clearly than any other political figure in recent years.
Comment by retrieverman — August 27, 2009 @ 8:03 am
I read Splash’s book, “My Senator and Me” and in it was a website where I could write to Splash. I did and told him how much I enjoyed his book and wondered if “his Senator” had ever seen the book called “Bica, the Portuguese Water Dog”, written by and English woman living in Portugal. If not, I told him that I had an extra copy that I had purchased when I visited Portugal and would be happy to send it to him. I also told him that I had two Portuguese Water Dogs and how much I loved them. I received an e-mail back that the Senator had not seen the book and would love to have it. I mailed it to Splash, and a few weeks later I received a beautiful autographed photo of Senator Kennedy, Splash and Sunny and a lovely thank you letter. I had them framed and will always treasure them. Senator Kennedy was an inspiration to us all and will be truly missed not only by his dogs and family, but by the entire nation. Rest in peace Senator Kennedy.
Comment by Carol Atkinson — August 28, 2009 @ 12:09 pm
Carol—that is SO. COOL.
Comment by Original Lori — August 28, 2009 @ 1:22 pm